User blog:Piestro/Leveling in EverQuest: The Early Levels (10-60) – The Traditionalist Path
So you’ve made it out of the tutorial, or battled it out in one of the many newbie zones found throughout Norrath, and now you’re ready to start leveling in earnest! Well what the heck are you going to do now? EverQuest has an incredible diversity of zones for players to get experience in, and choosing the one that is right for you can be overwhelming. In order to decide on what zones you want to level in, it’s important to consider both your motivation and what sort of zones appeal to you. None of these paths are particularly better than the other. They just represent some of my ideas to help get you started. The Traditionalist Path – The Grand Tour of Norrath’s Classic Dungeons For me, one of the things I always remember about my early days in EQ is delving deep into dungeons and the myriad of adventuring opportunities they present. I get lost in outdoor zones, but put me anywhere in Lower Guk and I’ll find the way to where I want to go in 30 seconds or less. The Traditionalist Path as I have dubbed it is a way to go back and revisit many of these classic dungeons (or visit them for the first time)! Some zones (and level ranges where I like visiting these zones) include the following: · Befallen (10-15) Just a taste of the zone towards the entry, but plenty of easy pulls and lots of undead. · Upper Guk (10-25) Frogs galore, and the zone has a number of diverse leveling environments. You could easily start here and move straight to Lower Guk as you get high enough in level. Watch for runners, the Frogs of Guk are highly social, and remember live Frogloks (as opposed to undead Frogloks) are a good-aligned faction. · Blackburrow (6-20) The Gnolls of Blackburrow are incredibly welcoming, and sure to greet you in large numbers. This zone is a fond memory for many, and while the classic Gnoll Train that many remember is less common these days, it’s still something to watch out for! · Lake of Ill Omen '''(15-25) Not a dungeon per se, but there is a fortress. I like hunting at the Sarnak Fort; you’ll learn pulling patterns and how to control fights at this location. · '''Unrest (15-30) A spooky manor with a ghost, this is one of my personal favorites (my “main” character is a dwarf). I start out with yard trash, move to the first and second floors, and finish out with a trip to the Basement. Confronting the Ghost is completely optional, and be careful. It is easy to go just one step too far, one floor to deep, and become quickly overwhelmed by undead. · Solusek’s Eye '(15-35) Goblins, Gnomes, and Elementals oh my! I estimate I’ve spent in excess of 1200 hours in this zone across 20 or more characters, and it’s easy to understand why. A classic dungeon crawl, a diversity of enemies at different level ranges, and quite a bit of the Cleric epic takes place here. Probably my all-time favorite zone; this one does have a steep learning curve and some small doorways (for those of you who are vertically over-endowed). · '''Lower Guk '(25-45) Lower Guk is the darker half of the Froglok dungeons. Whereas the upper version are populated by the more friendly, living sort of frogs (at least to those who have not spent time hunting them), the lower levels are locked in an endless war between live frogs and their undead opponents. Visit classic camps such as Frenzied Ghoul, the Arch Magus, the Supplier, the Lord, the Assassin, and the King. This one requires a map for those not intimately acquainted with its twisty ways. · 'Kedge Keep '(35-50) Kedge Keep is not a great zone to level in, but it’s definitely worth a stop on your tour. This is because the entire zone is submerged in the depths of a lake, and all its adventures take place underwater. If you do happen to encounter Phinigel Autropos, remember he always brings friends to the party! Enduring Breath is necessary! · 'Old Sebilis '(46-60) Seb, as it’s affectionately known to its friends, is a huge sprawling dungeon with Frogloks, ancient undead, crumbling Iksar war golems, and even a dragon deep in its dark heart. Kill a few mobs, keep an eye out for rare treasure (some of which is still worth quite a bit in the bazaar), and enjoy your time in this masterpiece. Make sure to visit the Disco before leaving! · '''Velketor’s Labyrinth (45-60) Icy walkways abound, along with deadly spiders and plenty of gargoyles. There’s no end of enemies to battle here; eventually you progress into the depths with vicious Kobolds and a wizardly giant to finish up your leveling buffet. · The Hole '''(40-70) So one day in Norrath, I fell down a giant pit, died, had my corpse dragged behind a locked door, and was resurrected. Not a terribly usual turn of events in EverQuest, but it was my introduction to one of the most bountiful spots for experience gain in the game. The Hole provides an exceptional amount of experience per enemy defeated, and so many different areas to level in that you’ll never have a chance to visit them all on just one character. A long time fan favorite, The Hole should be on every adventurers must see list! '''Other Notable Locations (in no particular order): Crushbone Keep, Kurn’s Tower, Splitpaw, Runnyeye, High Pass Hold, the Lost Temple of Cazic Thule, Castle Mistmoore, Najena, Permafrost Keep, Nagafen’s Lair, Tower of Frozen Shadows, Crystal Caverns, City of Mist, Karnor’s Castle, Howling Stones. So there are some of my favorite nostalgic areas for leveling in the 10-60 range, join me next time as I cover the questing perspective! Category:Blog posts Category:News